Updated as of November 2020: If you have a dream, you have to do more than just think about it. Take at least one small step toward it every day. That’s my philosophy. I’ve always been one of those folks who researches everything before they do it, or decide to buy something. So, of course, … Read more About Me
Page updated as of January 2023: If you’ve just stumbled across my blog, or even if you’ve been a long time reader (in which case, I thank you wholeheartedly!), you know that I am a huge animal lover. So much so that I have my own little *herd* as I like to call them. I … Read more The Herd
Well, folks, I have hit a few milestones. I’m happy to say that FINALLY my private LAL loan has fallen below $16K. The balance on it is now 15,921.62. That means I have paid off about 25% of the loan since September, because it was over $20,900 at that time!
So here is what the numbers used to be like:
Sept. 2013:
Personal loan: $4,211.42
LAL loan: $20,939.94
Simmons Loan: $23,620.04
Big Daddy (federal) loan: $75,390.94
TOTAL BALANCE: $124,162.34
Here are what the numbers look like now:
June 2014:
Personal loan: GONEEEEEEEEE FINITO, NON-EXISTENT!!!!
LAL loan: $15,921.62
Simmons Loan: $23,620.04
Big Daddy (federal) loan: $75,390.94
TOTAL BALANCE: $114,942.60
DIFFERENCE: $9,219.74 REDUCTION in DEBT!!!!!!!!
In addition to that, I guess I can say it now – I’ve reached the halfway $ mark for my tiny home/motorhome/land fund (whatever it ends up being.) I admit, sometimes I am tempted to take that balance and throw it all at the LAL loan just so I can see the balance go below 10K sooner than scheduled, but I just need to keep plugging away.
To keep myself inspired this morning, I read through a couple blog posts of people who have really gotten themselves out of debt:
If you haven’t read this guy’s book or blog yet, check out No More Harvard Debt. Pretty inspiring.
Oh, and another friend sent me this link over the weekend – I love how this guy has been helping very elderly senior citizens get stronger! This is definitely an untapped market in the fitness industry. The post was called A Chiseled Body Builder, Frail Clients, and A Fitness Story for the Ages.
What do you do to give yourself a pick me up when you need it? Whether it’s about debt or something else?
If you have liked this post, please hit like or subscribe, and again, if you’re at all familiar with living/traveling through Washington state, please drop me a line below. (I’ve been looking at personal training programs out there because I just don’t feel like I have enough practical experience to do a good job training people.) Thank you!
1. I haven’t fallen off my bike yet today – woohoo! Hey, it’s the little things, folks, the little things… (Explanation – I have fallen off of my bike the last two days in a row. I’m just glad I only got a bruise or two, and no broken bones.)
2. I was able to go to a Perform Better Functional Summit last weekend in Providence, RI. For the most part, the speakers were very good. A couple were impressed with themselves, but I’d been warned of those two egos before I went, so I wasn’t surprised. But honestly, I obtained a wealth of information and met a few very nice people. I’m sure that as with every profession, there is a lot of competition but can I just say – it was so nice to sit at a conference in really comfy clothes!!
3. The other night, my roommate and her boyfriend were cuddling with little baby Osito and they saw what they thought was a mole on her so they asked about it. We looked closer and it was a tick! So that reminded me to put her Vectra on her (it’s better than Advantix/Advantage? because it also protects animals from mosquitoes.) I’m just glad we found it, and she was such a trooper when we took it off of her. I’m just grateful my roomie’s boyfriend was there to help get it off. I don’t know what I would do if my little O were to get sick or get lyme’s disease. I’d be crushed.
4. The last few days have been so gorgeous outside, I can’t even describe it. It’s made me realize that what I do love about living around here is the greenness of spring and summer. So, it’s helped me decide that I will most likely be looking to move to Washington State when I make my move west. Coincidentally (or not) but I reconnected with an alum of the law school where I work this week, and she is in Seattle. So she gave me her thoughts about the place, and especially the winters.) It’s extremely green there, there are mountains everywhere, and the winters are nothing like the brutal cold and snow that we get here. I can deal with the rain – I actually like rainy days dispersed among the sunny ones, because it makes me appreciate the sunny ones all the more. Btw, the picture above is from my regular route with Osito in the evenings.
5. My roomie and I are motivated to help each other follow our dreams. We’ve got our goals on the wall, which we have even labeled with signs, “Wall of Dreams.” It’s a reminder everyday as to what we are working toward. We just have to remember to also live for and be happy with the present.
6. Speaking of the present time, or is it near future? A friend of mine gets married tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to seeing the culmination of her months of planning and stress! It’s going to be a casual affair and I know a bunch of people going, so it’ll be fun. And I’ve already found someone to hang with who also doesn’t dance!
If any of you reading this have lived/do live/traveled through Washington State, please let me know your thoughts! Is it good for the fitness industry? What did you think about the weather? Good things you can tell me about? Bad things? (I know there are a few of you who have already planted this idea in my mind….)
I hope you will all have a great weekend. If you’ve liked this post, please hit like or subscribe, or leave me a note!
It’s about 5 a.m. and I’m up because, well, I’m normally up at this time. But today I’m leaving at 6:30 to catch the T so I can also get a 7:30 a.m. commuter rail to Providence. I’m going to a conference/summit down there held by Perform Better and it’s for personal trainers and people in the fitness industry. So this is a really quick post!
1. I’m so glad I had the money back in May to pay for attending this conference, or that at least I prioritized and spent the money on the ticket. $289 was the Early Bird pricing, but I totally think it’s worth it. I am sponging up all the information I can get into my brain! Don’t get me wrong, I’m still learning things in my new career every day but not at this rate, since I’ve been doing it now for about 10 years. But it’s been really refreshing to be at a conference where the speakers occasionally swear, and it’s considered normal if you are wearing gym clothes!!
2. My Bonkers, who was feeling kind of crappy last week (to put it lightly, he was constipated, so pun intended, I suppose!) is feeling much better this week or at least it seems.
3. You can now buy your commuter rail tickets your phone. No standing in line, or anything like that. I wish they had had that technology back when I lived in the suburbs – life would have been so much easier then!
4. I’m so thankful for the support of friends and my family, especially my younger brother. When I made the hard decision to stop training for the marathon last week, you were all so supportive. And, sitting at the conference this week, feeling a ton of pain in my SI joint and glute, as well as my lower back, I know I made the right decision. I’m not working out over the next few days because of the schedule, so my body will get a rest, anyway. So, thank you, everyone, for supporting me.
Like I said, this is a very short post – please everyone, if you have liked it, please comment, subscribe or hit like! And also, more importantly, have a great and healthy weekend, whatever you are doing!
At times when I think about this, I feel like a quitter. But that’s the emotional side of me. The rational side knows better. The rational side knows that my body just can’t handle it. This is not a cop-out, but a realization of the facts. Read more →
My Boy, Bonkers (who I also call The Bonk-Man), photo taken yesterday 🙂
If you are friends with me on Facebook or know me In Real Life, you know I’ve had a sick kitty over the past week or so – my “elder statesman” as I like to call him, Bonkers. He’s my oldest cat, at about 13 years old. He’s the one who had a rough first year of life when he got out in the cold of winter and got frostbite on his ears. So both of his ears are much shorter than most cats, and they are rounded, so he looks like a super cute teddy bear.
1. The first thing I am thankful for is that Bonkers appears to be on the mend. I’m in the process of gradually changing his food to one that is very high in fiber. If any of you have or had pets, you know how stressful it can be when they are not feeling good. They can’t tell you what’s going on no matter how much they want to. (After a bout of diarrhea and vomiting, the medicine appeared to work too well and he became, well, constipated…poor guy….) I don’t even care that his bills amounted to almost $560 over the past week, all I care about is that he is feeling better. And he’s definitely showing signs – his appetite is returning, and he’s hanging out with us more.
2. It’s Friday, and I am really tired. But luckily, I don’t have to work on Saturday so I get at least one day off! (It’s the little things sometimes, really…)
3. My roomie got a job! She started on Thursday night, and I’m very happy for her. While I think my apartment is nice and all, I also think it could get depressing if you didn’t have anywhere else to go, ever. (Although there are all those furry creatures, so why would you ever want to leave them??) This will do wonders for her self esteem, I’m sure of it.
4. I get paid from the gym job this week. It will put me at almost halfway to my savings goal for the motor home. I should hit that halfway savings goal by next Friday!!
5. I have such wonderful friends, both in person and in real life. This week, two of my online friends, J & J, sent me a gym shirt that says “Beautiful is the New Strong” and I absolutely love it!! It’s bright blue with pink lettering, so it’s super girly and super me. 🙂 Was it coincidence that one of the stronger guys at the gym showed me how to this arm-hang thing? I think not.Ladies, never let yourself be intimidated at the gym. You are JUST as strong as they are, so get out there and lift heavy!! No two-pound dumbbells!!
6. We started getting 80+ degree days this week – woohoo!! You know what this means – topless running! (For those of you who used to read my old blog, you know what this means…)
What are you thankful for this week? Please drop me a line and let me know! And if you have liked this post, please hit like or subscribe!
I listen to Dave Ramsey’s radio show a lot and he usually has several people during each show do what they call their “Debt Free Scream!” Sometimes the people travel to Nashville to be able to talk to him and do it in person, and sometimes the people do it via phone. He always talks to them about what was their household income while paying it down, how much was their income, etc. He also always asks the people “what was the hardest thing you had to do during this process?” He also asks them “which bill was it that when you paid off, it felt the best?”
“What was the hardest thing you had to do during this process?” Usually, the people say one of a few common answers – saying no to going out with friends because the amount had not been figured into The Budget. Sometimes they answer that the hardest thing was to just keep going when it felt like the debt fight was never going to end. Now, I don’t do a ton so the first answer isn’t that hard for me. And when my friends and I do get together, well, none of us are made of money so we try to keep cost down. So, it’s not a problem. But I do understand (completely and more than I would like to) that feeling that the debt fight might never end.
So, this is how I have learned to combat those feelings or at least quiet them momentarily. I look back to my situation a few years ago and compare it to today.
1. About three years ago, I had roughly $8,000 in credit card debt. Today, that number is ZERO.
2. About two years ago, I bought a brand new car. With the added warranties and gap insurance, that put me roughly another $20,000 in the hole. Today, that number is ZERO.
3. About last September, my private student loan was almost 21,000. About two or three years ago, it was around $23K. Today, it’s $16,171.82. (My account info on line only goes back about a year so I’m guestimating on this.)
4. About three and a half years ago, I sat at home over the week between Christmas and New Year’s. I remember that my credit cards were maxed, my checking account had oh, about $20-30 in it, and my grand total of savings was probably about $500. I remember thinking “this has to be the lowest I can go.” Today, I have more than I had in savings (at our highest point) when married. And that took us a long time to get to our milestone amount as well.
When I add it all up, I figure that I have probably gotten rid of about $32K in debt over the past few years when I add in the brand new car I had taken on and since sold. I used to have a negative net worth. Today, that number is solidly in the positive zone. It’s not a huge number, but it’s something. I’m worth more alive than dead!!!! When I look at the figures like that, I feel better.
Two years ago, I didn’t feel completely fulfilled in my current job but I also didn’t know what I could do instead. Since then, I’ve gotten certified as a personal trainer, and taken and passed a few specialization tests, and am solidly working toward getting a second certification. And the best part? I owe nothing for having taken those exams. They’re all paid off. A few years ago, I would only have known to bankroll those by using credit cards.
A few years ago, I talked the good talk – about wanting to get out of debt, but still solidly digging myself in more and more month after month. Now, I actually walk the walk. The credit cards (other than the CareCredit one I have for pet health emergencies) are gone. And, the Care Credit is only used until money can be transferred from my online savings account into my checking to pay it off.
It’s funny how things work out. When I had figured out my bills and savings amounts a few months ago, I knew the only way I could cut expenses any further was to cut my housing costs. And then, I got a roomie, and even though it’s temporary, it’s taught me a few things. One, it’s been nice to have someone else around some times. She’s decided she’s set on getting her GED, so when I see her studying, it makes me want to be a good role model for her. So, even if I don’t necessarily feel like it, I’ll get out the laptop and start studying or trying to do some freelance work. (And if that fails, yes, I can watch an episode of something, but she knows I’ve worked hard all day, so I’ve still set a good example.) And, while my food costs have gone up with her being there, I will still be able to save a bit more per month than I could before with the additional rent income. So, while it’s been a bit of a transition to get used to having another person in the apartment, it’s not been as big of a change as I expected. We get along pretty well, and we’re both vegetarians, wanting to better our lives. We respect each other’s space and different habits, plus both of us have been sleeping like rocks lately, which is great, since I’m a morning person and she’s a night owl.
Some days/nights, you just feel like things have come together the way they are supposed to. When I saw my little dog Osito basically running because she was so happy to be outside in the crisp air, I just knew last night was one of those times. You don’t question when things are going well, I have learned. Just accept it and go with it!
And that’s what I’m going to do.
If you have liked this post, please leave me a comment below, hit like or subscribe! Thank you!
As you can tell from my lack of posting this week, it’s been another busy one! So, as you can imagine, TGIF!!!
Tookie and Po (a perfect pair)
1. I am thankful that as soon as I decided to put less into my motor home savings account, I started getting even more hours from the gym! Those hours’ pay automatically go into that account, so I feel like I haven’t really lost ground, while at the same time, gaining ground on my debt. (For the next paycheck, it’s more than what would have normally gone in from my full time job!!)
I’ve also taken on a temporary roomie and her mom is paying rent to me for her, so that’s been a help as well. She’s also been a big help where the animals are concerned, and it’s nice to have someone around to talk to for a change, so it’s all good.
2. I got the picture you see above this week. The cat in the photo was a foster cat of mine for many, many months due to his “unique” litter box habits, or so we thought. Turns out, he just wanted to be able to go outside! Tookie is his name, and although he hated cats, he loves dogs! And Po, the very large dog you see in the photo, absolutely loves him! I just love this photo and the way it looks like Po is protecting Tookie while at the same time, sharing in whatever cool thing that they are looking at! I am grateful to his forever mom for sending me photos of him and keeping me updated on his antics. She said that as soon as they started letting him go outside, no more accidents. And he never strays far from the house, and doesn’t mind occasionally being “herded” back to the house by Po! (As of this Sunday, he will be with his new and forever family for a year!!!!!)
3. This week was graduation for the students at my school. That means we get our school back!!! 😉 And, the students at the college near me also graduated last week, so we get our neighborhood back!! (Mind you, they are not all horrible but it does make the place a bit quieter.)
4. I took the final exam for my online physiology and anatomy class. While I don’t feel like I retained a ton from the class, I got a 92! So it counts, woohoo! And the good thing is, I have the materials from the class to refer to in the future whenever I need them. (And honestly, not all of the class was relevant to what I will be doing for a new career, so it was good that I didn’t have to memorize a lot of stuff to then just later on dump out of the memory bank.)
5. My motorhome/tiny home land fund just hit another milestone!!! Woohoo!! It’s funny how once you set your mind to a goal, you don’t have the same problem saving money as you used to when you didn’t have a specific purpose in my mind for everything you spend. Now, when I spend money, I literally think to myself, “is this worth however long it will delay my motorhome dream coming true?”
6. While I am not happy or thankful that my oldest kitty, Bonkers, had to go to the vet this week for diarrhea and throwing up, and the resulting $407 bill, I am grateful that I have finally gotten to that place in my life where a bill like that doesn’t throw me into a tizzy and make me wonder, how is everything going to get paid this month? While I did use my CareCredit card for the first time, I’m able to pay it off this afternoon. And that card can only be used for medical expenses for myself or my animals. It’s the only reason I have it. Any of you who have pets know how it feels when they don’t feel good and they can’t tell you why. It’s scary. He seems to be feeling at least a bit better, and my roomie got him to take his pill yesterday by grinding it into a pulp and then mixing it into his food. We can’t get him to eat much of the W/D food but he’s been eating some of the other type that I have around, so it’s better than nothing.
7. One last thing!! I don’t know how I didn’t know this before but my CES certification exam is open-book and can be taken at home. I am so thrilled about this. Although it’s 100 questions that must be completed in 90 minutes or less, and that’s not super easy, I am extremely grateful that I don’t have to memorize absolutely everything. I will make sure I know the material thoroughly, of course, but at my age, it’s been harder to memorize things like I did when studying for the Bar Exam.
It’s just a bit after 6:30 a.m. here and this post is done and in the books! And I’ve already done an hour’s worth of work! Woohoo!
If you’ve liked this post, please drop me a line below, hit “like” or subscribe! And thank you for reading – have a great weekend, folks.
Been a very busy week, so no writing until now, and yes, I’m even a day early! Please enjoy the pic of my little HoneyBun taking a big, BIG yawn!
HoneyBunster!!!
1. Been working extra hours at the gym this week and since I had a lot of time saved up at my full-time job, I took some half days and full days off this week. But I still get paid!
2. With all I’m juggling, to say I was amazed that I got a good performance review at work is an understatement. But it was even better than last year’s, so I am very happy with that. I am usually at my most productive when I have the most on my plate.
3. I have a roomie for part of the summer and my animals are totally loving her! I’m sure they get lonely during the day. When I came home from working out this morning, one was on her lap, another was right next to her, and yet a third was at her feet on the bed. It was super cute. It’s nice to have someone around since I’ve been on my own for about 4 years now, in July. Her mom is helping me with some rent for her, so I’m planning on taking that and throwing it at my student loan. (Truth be told, I would have let her stay with me even without the money, but like I always say, every little bit helps!) And it forces me to clean up after myself a bit more, which is always a good thing. I also realized it makes me more productive in the mornings, as I don’t lollygag as much as I otherwise would, because I don’t want to wake her up. (I tend to take my sweet time waking up in the mornings.)
4. I’ve been cat sitting this week to make some extra cash. The lady lives super close to me, so it’s not a hardship, and her kitty is super cute. Within three days he was super snuggly with me, and she said that’s amazing because it took months for him to warm up to her like that. I guess I’m the “cat whisperer!” LOL (Either that, or more likely, he is just super lonely without his mom being home.)
5. The corrective exercise science stuff has finally started sticking in my brain. Which is great because I need to take the certification test soon! I get three tries before the end of July. And my online physiology and anatomy class ends soon with a take home exam. Only thing is, I’m behind so I’ve got some work cut out for me to do this weekend. Thankfully, it’s the holiday so I have two days off.
6. Got another chapter to work on for my author!! And this one is a good one, for sure. So, I definitely have my work cut out for me when I take everything into account that I have to get done in the next five or six weeks, but as a friend reminds me, it’s “all a means to an end.”
And that is as good of a segue as I can come up with to end this post! Have a great holiday weekend, everyone, if you are in the US!
As always, if you have liked this post, please drop me a line, or hit “like” or subscribe! And, thank you!
Wow, I am SO GLAD today is Friday. I’m just tired. Been a long week with lots to do and I’m feeling overwhelmed about a few things. I just have to keep chugging away.
First,I’m very thankful for my second job at the gym. I never see the money that comes in for it, other than to see my tiny home/motorhome fund growing every two weeks. I’ve become the go-to person, in a way, for extra shifts, because I can usually am able to take them, and I guess they realize I’m dependable. All a good thing. I’m opening up there next week, 6 out of 7 days. Since I have a ton of time saved up at my full time job, I am taking some time off there so I don’t get completely burnt out.
How can you not fall in love with this adorable face?
Second, I just have to share this picture of little Osito with you. I was getting ready this morning at around 4 a.m. and she had woken up. She and the rest of the animals were looking at me through these little slits of tired looking eyes, and I thought to myself, “it’s even early for them!” I felt badly for waking them up, but I know what they are going to do while I’m gone today. (Yep, a hard day’s work of sleeping.) Anyway, Osito just looked so super cute, and as I walked toward her, even though she’s blind, she knew I was approaching and her tail started wagging a mile a minute. On last night’s walk, I’m not kidding – she was practically running! It makes me so happy to see her so spritely moving, and knowing she has that youthful energy at times. She makes me smile so much, I honestly don’t think I could love that little one any more than I already do.
Third, I was able to make that extra payment of $400 on my LAL student loan today as originally planned. This is in addition to the $167 payment that is regularly scheduled. While this won’t bring the balance below $16K, it will bring it closer, anyway. And I’m not done yet paying on it for the month! Will keep you updated, as always!
Fourth, I’m going to a party/housewarming tonight and will get to see some folks that I don’t get to see often. It’s a nice opportunity to just get together and relax.
Fifth,my marathon training is still ongoing. Thankful that my brother, who is also my coach, is going conservative with my mileage so I don’t ramp up too quickly. It is super important to me to not get injured. And for the most part, I’ve been feeling good on my runs. I’m not fast, but I don’t care. To me, right now, it’s more about the fact that I am doing it.
Sixth, my little brother, the aforementioned running coach, took on a Penniless Challenge over the past two weeks. For one week, he didn’t spend a cent if it would benefit him. (Meaning the money he spent on flowers for my mom for Mom’s Day didn’t count.) He did really, really well, even though I know it was definitely hard for him. But you know what? He found he liked making his coffee at home much better than waiting in line at Starbucks! (This is saying a lot – my brother used to work for Starbucks back in the day and loves their coffee!)
Well, on to the day! If you have liked this post, please drop me a line below, hit “like” or subscribe! And, thank you!
My mom has recently become engaged, and now she and her fiancee are going through the house to see just what’s in it and what needs to be done before they combine households. Totally cool with that. Here’s the thing – my mom is a holder-onner when it comes to stuff. As in, she has found a medal wagon that my brother used to use when he was a child to get around. Um, my brother is now 40. (To be frank, I don’t even remember what wagon she’s talking about.) Read more →
Chasing Simple Dreams 